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medium

Hi,

I was wondering if somebody could take a look for me. What does "medium" mean in this context? I look it up in the dictionary, but I still do not work out which one is right.

Thanks for your help.

Student: In your opinion, what is the best way for us to konw if we really have a calling to art?
Professor: Professionals can give good firsthand advice, but experience is the best way to get a feel for the field.
S: What kind of experience? How do we get started?
P: Experience doesn't have to be formal. It can be part-time or volunteer work. For instance, if you wanna be a photographer or graphic designer, you could work for your school newspaper. Or if your interest is acting, you could start out in community theater. The important thing is getting started - spending time doing something in your chosen medium.

Re: medium

If it was art, then technically it is a liquid with which pigments are mixed to make paint.

However, in this dialogue, the speaker is meaning the kind of art you want to study - writing, acting, design etc.

Hi, Anglika,

I ran into a problem about the word "media" again in another context and I was wondering if you could have a look for me. Thanks a lot.

What does "media" mean in this context? I found seveal definition for "media" in the dictionary, but I still do not figure out what it means in this case.

Professor: ... ... Specialists understand one field; their concern is with technique, tools, media. They are "trained" people, and their educational background is technical or professional. Generalists - and especially administrators - deal with people. Their concern is with leadership, with planning, with direction, and with coordination. They are "educated" people, and the humanities are their strongest foundation. ... ...

Re: medium

In this sentence, "media" is the plural form of "medium" - the material you use to create your artwork.

Anglika,

I find a problem. The second context (media) I offered you is not a part of the fisrt context, I mean, they are not related.

In the second context, the professor is talking about two different types of employees - specialist and generalist. According to this, so I guess "media" in this case does not mean "the material you use to create to your artwork".

So I hope you could take another look for me. In my opinion, in this context, does "media" mean "the specialists' material / the material that the specialists use to do their work" .?

Re: medium

I was aware that there were different sentences.

The sequence in the second one suggests materials, but the context could also mean media in the sense of newspapers, tv, radio and periodicals. However, technically that would be expressed as "the media", so I still hold by my suggestion that it is referring to the materials the specialists [or non-specialists] will use. There is basically no difference.

Re: medium

Originally Posted by Anglika

I was aware that there were different sentences.

The sequence in the second one suggests materials, but the context could also mean media in the sense of newspapers, tv, radio and periodicals. However, technically that would be expressed as "the media", so I still hold by my suggestion that it is referring to the materials the specialists [or non-specialists] will use. There is basically no difference.